Best Friend Lessons From the Lady Gaga Dramz

We've been riveted by Lady Gaga's leaked tour rider detailing the pop star's demands which include her dressing room function like a glam rock spa and a nonstop supply of organic food. The papers were part of a six-hour deposition Gaga gave in a lawsuit involving her ex-assistant Jennifer O'Neill who has accused the singer of forcing her to work 24-hour days and act as her "personal alarm clock." But the latest revelation in this case blew our minds: On Saturday, Lady Gaga tweeted: "Everyone's headlines need an updating. 'Former assistant' is actually 'my best friend from NY since I was 19.' Painful stuff."

Best friends? Yes, at one point these two women were inseparable. But when friends start logging QT on a time card it can be a recipe for disaster. On the one hand, celebrities often want to recruit their besties to be their personal assistants. After all, these people know them best and have usually been in the picture long before said celebrity was famous, which tends to ensure loyalty. On the other hand, employing your best friend to refill the toilet paper and carry around your Evian bottle probably isn't the best way to maintain your friendship. Is there a way to work and play nicely together? Let's look to these celebrities and their ex-assistants for inspiration.

They Can Transition from Co-Workers to Friends: In 2004 when Cacee Cobb was hired to assist Jessica Simpson on the set of her reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, the women worked together so well that a real-life friendship was inevitable. In 2006 when Cobb left her job as Simpson's assistant, Simpson was reportedly devastated saying, "You are my best friend, I will be your best friend forever." Two years later, Simpson hired Cobb again when she released her first country album. The two have maintained their friendship—Simpson stood as bridesmaid in Cobb's 2012 wedding to Scrubs star Donald Faison and The two are even experiencing pregnancy together (Cobb's first; Simpson's second). Every best friends' dream!

They Help Each Other Out: E! talk show host and comedian Chelsea Handler loves to poke fun at her personal assistant Chuy "Little Nugget" Bravo but she always has his back. Bravo credits Handler for teaching him to how work hard and stay humble in Hollywood and even opening career doors for him—in 2010, Bravo published his first book of essays called Little Nuggets of Wisdom: Big Advice from the Small Star of Chelsea Lately.

The Friendship Comes First: In 2011 when Khloe Kardashian landed her own reality show Khloe and Lamar and needed an assistant, she turned to her best friend Malik Haqq who she had known since she was 15-years-old. Shortly after she started the gig, Haqq began having difficulty balancing the demands of her job with her friendship with Khloe and subsequently quit her job to preserve their sisterhood. Smart! 

Bad behavior isn't tolerated: Felicia Culotta was Britney Spears' friend of nine years and often worked for her as a personal assistant, sometimes appearing on Spears' forgettable reality show Britney & Kevin: Chaotic. But in 2007 on the heels of the pop singer's infamous meltdown, Culotta drew the line allegedly penning an open letter to Spears and posting it on the fan site That Other Blog. “I cherish ALL the incredible opportunities that came my way thru my job with Britney and am crushed/saddened/heart sick by the way her life is unfolding," Culotta wrote. "There’s just so much you can do to help a person — I don’t dare want to be an enabler, and I cannot love her enough for the both of us. I cannot convince her in ANY way to love herself.” Walking away from a toxic friendship? Very hard. The smart thing to do? Absolutely.

There's a true sense of loyalty: Singer and song writer Erika Rose and Alicia Keys didn't meet at a schmancy Hollywood party; they solidified their bond in the sandbox as four-year-old next door neighbors. Staying pals throughout the years, Rose ultimately became Keys' road manager and credits Keys with giving her a valuable working experience.

There's a sense of appreciation:
When Kate Moss' assistant Fiona Young became pregnant, she decided to quit her job to focus on being a full time mom. Moss was upset at the idea of losing her assistant but took the high road, throwing Young a star-studded baby shower and lavishing her with gifts, no doubt sealing their long-term relationship.